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We're In Your Neighborhood!
Same Day Service
Since 1992
Call The Gentleman Pros Now!
(403) 755-4914
According to The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) there’s a good chance you have around $15,000 worth of equipment in your home that can be damaged by surges. Fifteen. Thousand. Dollars. That’s a lot of dollars to lose just because of a power surge. But we can help.
Stop electrical surges before they hit your expensive appliances, devices, and other electrical equipment with a whole-house surge protection device.
They are installed directly into the main electrical panel, preventing excess and dangerous voltage from entering your electrical devices, appliances, and gadgets and causing damage and sometimes fire.
The voltage running through our wires doesn’t come at a constant state of 120 volts, it actually fluctuates between 0 and 169 volts. Power surges are an increase in voltage over the normal amount. When the voltage exceeds 169 volts it can cause damage.
Power surges happen frequently and are unavoidable. They last microseconds and can range from one or two volts over normal to tens of thousands of volts over. The higher the voltage the greater the damage. High voltage surges can melt parts of your electrical system and your appliances and devices plugged into your system.
Even low-voltage surges can cause damage. Though the immediate damage is minor it adds up because low surges can happen several times daily. Some refer to this damage as “electronic rust” which can severely shorten the lifespan of your appliances and devices.
But you can stop this damage and save your devices by having a whole-house surge protector installed by one of our skilled electricians.
Our priority is your safety and satisfaction. Our knowledgeable electricians can:
Let’s defend your home from power surges.
Our helpful customer service reps would love to help you. Call (403) 755-4914 or click on the Chat With Us icon at the bottom of the page to talk to us immediately. Or you can fill out our online form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
There are two types of power surges based on where they originate: inside the house or outside. Regardless of where the power surge starts, it can do damage to your electrical system and your appliances, devices, and electronics connected to your electrical system.
Power surges can be divided into two categories:
Many think most surges are external surges, but they’re not. According to the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association, 60 to 80 percent of surges are internal surges originating within the facility.
These are the most common power surges and happen several times a day. They mostly occur when an electrical device’s motor starts up or shuts down diverting electricity from other appliances and devices on the circuit.
Internal power surges include surges created by appliances, overload circuits, and faulty wiring.
External power surges happen more rarely but tend to be more severe than internal power surges.
They are created by downed power lines, animal vs. grid equipment incidents, lightning strikes, and utility power grid switching. They also happen when the power comes back on after a power outage.
According to the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association (NEMA) one of the leading causes of failure of electrical equipment are power surges. And it doesn’t matter if it is an internal or external surge, they both do the same type of damage.
As our electronic gadgets get more sophisticated and more devices contain microprocessors, they also get more sensitive. So a lower-level power surge could do damage to your more sensitive devices which usually are your more expensive devices.
A power surge can create an arc of electrical current within the device. The heat generated by the arc can cause damage to the components in the devices like the electronic circuit board. The heat can, in rare cases, even start a fire.
Surges can inflict damage at varying degrees. From completely destroying your electronics and rendering them useless to seemingly having no impact on them at all.
Notice the use of the word seemingly. Even though your devices seem to be fine, low-level damage has occurred. Some refer to this minor damage as “electronic rust” and as it builds up due to more power surges, it gradually degrades the wiring and internal circuitry until the device fails. Power surges can happen several times a day and each one inflicts a tiny bit of damage. Over time this damage can significantly lower the lifespan of your appliances and devices.
You would think that a surge with high voltage would cause the most damage. However, normally the length of the surge causes the most damage, even if it is only a thousandths of a second longer. This is due to the electrical system having to endure the excessive voltage for a longer period of time.
Both a power surge and a power spike (usually called a voltage spike or simply as a transient) are over-voltage conditions. The difference is essentially the length of the event.
A sudden increase in voltage lasting longer than three nanoseconds is considered a power surge. A voltage spike is shorter than three nanoseconds and usually lasts only a billionth or millionth of a second.
Both can cause damage but surges tend to cause more damage because the increased voltage is in the system longer.
For more information about power surges and SPDs please read the following:
All You Need to Know About Power Surges
All You Need to Know About Power Surge Protection Devices (SPDs)
